Polish midfielder Mateusz Klich set to be Leeds United’s first new signing of summer

LEEDS UNITED are on the verge of sealing their first new signing of the summer after agreeing a deal for FC Twente midfielder Mateusz Klich.

The YEP understands that Klich is currently undergoing a medical with the Elland Road club after flying into Leeds from Krakow this morning.

United are ready to meet Twente’s valuation of him, clearing the way for the Poland international to complete a move ahead of the start of pre-season training. He has agreed personal terms and is set to put pen to paper in the next 24 hours.

Klich is high on United’s list of targets and Leeds are attempting to finalise a number of deals following the appointment of Thomas Christiansen as their new head last week.

The former Wolfsburg player - a creative midfielder capped 10 times by Poland - is 12 months into a three-year deal at Twente but was widely expected to leave the Dutch side amid serious interest in him.

Klich was a regular in Twente’s starting line-up last season, helping them finish seventh in the Eredivisie table and chipping in with eight goals and six assists.

His representatives, SEG, declined to comment on his future when contacted by the YEP but sources at Leeds have confirmed that Klich has started a medical after travelling from Poland.

The 27-year-old is expected to command a seven-figure fee in the region of £1.5m.

United faced competition from other European clubs, alerted to Klich by his strong season in Holland, but the Elland Road club were confident of forcing the transfer through.

Klich was absent as Twente’s players underwent physical tests today. His team-mates are scheduled to start training ahead of the new Dutch season on Saturday morning.

New Leeds United head coach, Thomas Christiansen. Picture: Bruce Rollinson

Leeds, meanwhile, will start work under Christiansen and his new backroom team at Thorp Arch on Monday, beginning the countdown to their first game of the Championship season on August 6.

The recruitment of Christiansen led to an immediate overhaul of the coaching staff at United, with Julio Banuelos joining as assistant boss and Marcos Abad replacing Darryl Flahavan as goalkeeping coach.

Ivan Torres will oversee the squad’s fitness work having been appointed in place of Sean Rush as Leeds’ head of physical performance. Rush, who came to Elland Road while Uwe Rosler was head coach in 2015, has moved with Garry Monk to Middlesbrough.

United have so far finalised one transfer in this window, converting Hadi Sacko loan from Sporting Lisbon into a permanent deal, and Pontus Jansson will also take up a full-time deal on July 1.

United face competition from other European clubs, alerted to Klich by his strong season in Holland, but the Elland Road club hope to force the transfer through.

Phil Hay

Klich, however, would mark the start of the influx of fresh arrivals planned at Leeds this summer. The midfielder played for Kaiserslautern before joining Twente last August.